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What is it?
Brethren of the Brick Seas is a role-playing building game set in the age of discovery/age of sail. It is the land of infamous pirates, brave sea-captains, bold explorers, cunning traders, and heroic soldiers, and it is open for all who wish to join! Through official challenges, minichallenges, freebuilds, the economic game system and the raiding and commerce system, every player has a role in the development of the Brick Seas and the potential to alter geopolitics, and eventualy history. The four playable factions interact, cooperate, compete and struggle for power, just like the players do, in a diverse world, where you can help explore (and exploit!) the riches of the new world. (For a quick start guide, see here)

How do I sign up?
To sign up, you first need to pick one of the four player factions:

Where do I ask questions?
For general questions, lore questions, or history questions, ask in this thread. For faction specific questions, ask in the faction threads. Ask away!

Background:
The year is 617 AE (After Empire) and this is the dawn of the second era of colonialism. Only time will show what history will bring, but all three nations are looking to solidify their hold on their new posessions.

Era I was kicked off with the discovery of lands across the Sea of Storms. For the first time in the history of the continent of Halos, new lands had been discovered. Even more shocking, the Halosians were no longer alone in the world. Once thought to be a flat plane, where monsters roamed the edges, the world is now believed by most geographers to be most certainly round. This was proven first with the discovery of Terraversa by the Mardierian explorer, Ardmond Basker.

For 100 years the Mardierians have held Terraversa as a far off gateway, keeping all others out and not allowing the information of the world to the east, or New Terra, to permeate into the rest of Halos. At almost a 1000 miles from the next island in the Sea of Storms, the island remains a most crucial point on the voyage into the unknown.

As time went on, other nations of the Madrice Peninsula began to search the seas for other islands and their potential riches. South of the Basker Islands, Corrington took Tiberia, an unforgiving rock just outside of the much more lucrative tropical zone. Oleon found LeBellan, the jewel of the Sea of Storms. LeBellan sits right inside the tropical zone, and produces sugar in vast quantities. 56 years ago Eslandola took possession of An Holli and An Toli, two smaller islands south of LeBellan, both sugar producing as well. Despite gaining footholds in the Sea of Storms, the other Madrician nations were unable to voyage beyond Terraversa.

This all changed with the death of King Harln of Mardier, and the vast civil war that began in the country in 595 AE. Instead of looking to gain territory from Mardier’s mainland, the Eslandolans approached the Viceroy of Terraversa and paid him handsomely for permission to trade at the island. The Viscount took it further and allowed ALL nations to pay for the privilege to visit his island. Twenty years later, as the civil war continues, Terraversa has become a defacto independent state. The Viscount’s son, Miro Oldis, now runs the island, and his father’s policies live on. It is not certain if the Mardierians will reestablish their colony or not after the war, but it may be too late.

In 597, intrepid Eslandolian explorer Cato Calrelli sailed east from Terraversa into the unknown. It was thought to be suicidal at the time, but he returned 70 days later with the news that he had found more of New Terra. He claimed the land for Eslandola, and soon the Kingdom of Eslandola was the leading nation in colonization.

In 605, news circulated throughout the Madrice Peninsula that the Eslandolans had found gold on their island of Nellisa, and this set off a thirst for expansion and exploration never before seen. With Terraversa as a launching spot for new expeditions, Corringtonians, Oleanders, Eslandolans, along with some Garvans, Mardierans, and Carnovans made their way towards New Terra. Many found themselves unable to find supplies at Nellisa, the Eslandolans baring even some of their own from landing on the island. These vagabonds headed south, where a new isle was found, one with few resources, but great defensive harbors. Soon, the Sea Rats had a home. Angry that they had been dispossessed and had not found aid, many turned to vengeance on the Eslandolans by becoming pirates, and many of these pirates began to prey on all nations, and even their fellow pirate. Besides Terraversa, where the Atwi tribe lives, no new natives have been found yet. The islands beyond Terraversa have so far all had strange abandoned settlements upon them, and some sailors say that there is a whole new nation of people in these far waters, but no one has recorded seeing a non-Halosian or Atwi person yet.

The first era, spanning the years 615 and 616 AE, marked a rapid expansion into newly discovered lands, in a race to maintain relevancy in the power struggle of Halos. Oleon, Eslandola, and Corrington all laid claims to a multitude of islands and invested heavily in new settlement and industries. In order to protect these new holdings, a naval arms race developed, and the merchant marines of all three nations grew rapidly. In the shadow of the immense wealth being shipped home from the colonies arose a rag tag group of opportunists, who styled themselves as a loose confederacy known as the Sea Rats, plundering, smuggling, raiding, or sometimes just living free outside the grasps of the empires.

All factions await new souls to take on a role in the New World. Who will win in the end? Nobody knows, but for sure the sea will play a large role in deciding the fate of these rich new lands. She can be a cruel mistress to those who do not respect her, indeed, and the only guarantee in this world is that salt will run through your veins as you become part of the Brethren of the Brick Seas.

The Map:
The map is a part of the storytelling mechanism. As you can see, it is not totally defined yet. This will change as time goes on. New portions of the New World (and some of the Old) will be uncovered through events, challenges, and other parts of the project. New islands will be claimed, older territories will be taken in war, and the map will stay dynamic throughout the story. Builders will have the map revealed to them over time, and they will help decide what lands are conquered.

With that said, the first part of our story will take place in New Terra. Your character should probably have some feasible connection that would lead them to that region, or it may be hard to really participate in the early challenges. A baker back in Eslandola’s capitol city is probably going to have little interaction with things going on in New Terra. We will eventually have challenges that happen on the mainland, and different story events “back home,” but we are emphasizing the pirate theme and its nature primarily in the first part of this project. Once a firm piratical lore and history is established, more aspects of Enlightenment era politics, war making, and commerce will emerge.

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A brief history of the Madrice Peninusla can shed some light on the geopolitics of discovery and colonization of the present. Traditionally, the peninsula starts with the two nations of Pontilla and Varcoast, although these two nations are much more similar in language and culture to those of the continent proper. Oleon is the first major nation as one moves east along the Madrice Peninsula. The region had been part of the province of Madrice under the Great Empire which broke up in the year 0 AE. For a hundred years Madrice was its own empire, but for the most part, it was a weak confederacy. The easternmost portion, sometimes called the Great Triangle, became more distanced by 103 AE, and soon the nation of Mardier was born of that whole portion of the peninsula. Back on the neck of the peninsula the death of King Pontis led to the creation of four nations, Corrington to the Northeast, Oleon in the center, and Pontilla and Varcoast to the South.

From the first day Corrington and Oleon became enemies. At the signing of the Treaty of Pontsvil, where the four nations had divided themselves almost peacefully, the tone was soured when Prince Ahmon of Corrington murdered King Arltrees of Oleon. This set up the long feud that still exists to the this day. Whereas the southern nations kept most of their territorial integrity, despite some Oleonder aggression, the border between Oleon and Corrington often shifted by 50 to 100 miles in each war, and there were many wars between the two.

The most destructive war was the War that Time Forgot, or the Mardierian Intervention as it is known to the rest of the peninsula. The war started in 258 AE, and by 325 AE Corrington had captured most of Oleon to the gates of its capital, Granoleon. It was a marriage of the Oleonder king’s second daughter to the prince of Mardier that finally brought relief to Oleon. The Mardierians invaded the western portion of the peninsula, taking much of Corrington’s land, some to this day still held by Eslandola, and forced a peace in 352 AE. Unfortunately for Mardier, this was the beginning of the end of its dominance of the Great Triangle region. After raising too many taxes to fight the Corlanders, many regions revolted. This created the nations of Namere, Carno, Garvey, Baldondia, and most importantly, Eslandola.

The history of the Peninsula since the Mardierian Intervention has been one of warfare, political maneuver, and intrigue. Although Corrington and Oleon continued to fight on and off, the nations of the Great Triangle fought fewer wars with the “Red” and “Blue” Kingdoms. Oleon’s biggest success was the union of its own monarchy with that of the nation of Guelph. In 459 AE, after a small civil war, Guelph was conquered and Oleon became two kingdoms within the same Empire. New Oleon sits further to the south in a region called the Midlands. These conquered peoples have merged into Oleon society almost completely. Corrington expanded slightly over the last 100 years. After many wars with Oleon and its allies of island states that surround the Penninsula, Corrington was finally able to take over almost all of these small nations, including the nation of Balondia on the Great Triangle. This would play greatly in their attempts on New Terra.

Meanwhile Eslandola became the power broker of the Great Triangle region, and Mardier was relegated to fourth strongest nation on the peninsula. With the discovery of the Basker Islands and Terraversa in 511, Mardier regained some of its former glory. Terraversa was a rich island, having both moderate mineral wealth and the capability to grow both Tobacco and Sugar. Its strategic location meant that only the Mardierans could venture to the fabled New Terra. The other main nations were able to take a few islands discovered later within the Sea of Storms, but nothing close enough to get to New Terra, thus keeping Mardier’s monopoly. Still, the Eslandolans became the masters of trade in the region, their ships plying the waters of every corner of the Old World. Where Corrington and Oleon spent on warfare, science, and conquest, Eslandola spent on merchant marine, ships, and better ports.

Then in 595, the death of King Harln of Mardier opened doors for Eslandola. With so many petty lords trying to rise up and claim the throne, the Viceroy of Terraversa had no direct master. Agnal Oldis sold entrance rights to his port to the highest bidder, and almost every nation of the Madrice Peninsula, large and small, tried to buy these rights. As the prices went up, only the largest nations could afford it. From Kings Port, Terraversa, the intrepid Eslandolan explorer Cato Calrelli bravely sailed East and found the isle of Nelisa. On that island, there was rumored to be more gold than anyone could imagine. With that gilded rumor, the nations of the Peninsula began a quest of conquest in New Terra.

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The Order of the Faith worships the Aplynacian Gods, of which there are 3, along with a cast of lesser deities and demi-gods who are mentioned in the lore. It is said that first, there was Chaos. Then, the Titans were birthed of the Chaos, and the world was forged at their hands. Then, came the three main Gods, the brothers Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. These three, seeing the barbaric nature of the Titans, overthrew the evil Titans and sentenced the foulest of them to the cursed realm of Tartarus. The heroic Gods then divided the world between them. To Hades, the eldest God, went the Underworld and all that emerges from beneath the ground. To Poseidon went the seas and all that is derived from them. And, Zeus, the youngest, but the most powerful and righteous, claimed the heavens as King of the Gods, and took the great Mount Aplynacus as his residence and as the court of the Gods. All three shared the earth, where mortals were allowed to live. They now rule the mortals benevolently, ensuring that the evil influence of the Titans holds no sway in their hearts.

There are many tales and texts relating the often confusing and contradictory mythos of The Faith, These legends are disseminated and approved by the ever-present Order of the Faith.

The Order holds great power in Oleon, and has secured its hold over the people through a variety of methods. The Clergy offers public sermons in Cathedrals and Temples to the gods, and holds feasts and festivals on holy days, while its covert operatives employ more clandestine approaches, such as silencing vocal non-believers and heretics, and bribing/blackmailing dissenting public officials. The Order of the Faith also owns great swaths of land, especially in New Oleon, where they act as the de facto government. They even fund missionary and conquistador voyages to spread their beliefs and influence to the new world.

The Order's internal system of organization is confusing to an outsider, however, a simple rule of thumb is that Clerics of Zeus hold the greatest power, followed by Clerics of Poseidon, and then Clerics of Hades. Clerics of Zeus hold the greatest influence in the Old World, however Clerics to Poseidon have proliferated and grown in power in the Colonies. Clerics to Hades are a strange bunch. They dress in red and are seldom seen save for at funerals. The Clerics of Hades are often those who carry out the Order's less savory activities, and have the power to declare a heretic or enemy of the Order "Already Dead." and execute the sentence.

Clerics in the Order of the Faith wear white or grey robes, although Clerics to Hades always wear red or black robes (which further puts them at odds with Corringtonians, who wear their sacred colours with no respect for the gods.) It is not uncommon for the less fortunate clerics, and missionaries to wear brown or tan in the absence of white or grey robes.

It is unknown who leads the Order, however, more likely than not, it is an assembly of the High Priests.

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This section has a little bit about the more well known conflicts that befell the major nations of the Peninsula, and it is meant as a guide for those who want to add some historic context to their stories and builds, or for those wishing to MOC famous battles from the past. Although this timeline is open to additions, we should try to use "known" wars as much as possible to keep from entering a history where there was a war every year between every nation. Still, the community is welcomed to "make up" some history!

[While the timeline is a little porous, feel free to create wars if needed. If you MOC any historic mocs that related to these wars, then let us know and we will link them after the corresponding war]

106AE - 110AE The Great War of Separation - Corrington, Oleon, Pontilla, and Varcoast fight a war for territory, as the crumbling Madrice Empire finally falls. It was a four sided war, with Oleon in the middle being squeezed from all sides. No real victor, but borders close to the modern borders were created.

258AE - 352AE The War Time Forgot or The War that Forgot to End or the Mardierian Intervention - The most destructive war was the War that Time Forgot, or the Mardierian Intervention as it is known to the rest of the peninsula outside of Corrington and Oleon. The war started in 258 AE, and by 325 AE Corrington had captured most of Oleon to the gates of its capital, Granoleon. It was a marriage of the Oleonder king’s second daughter to the prince of Mardier that finally brought relief to Oleon. The Mardierians invaded the western portion of the peninsula, taking much of Corrington’s land, some to this day still held by Eslandola, and forced a peace in 352 AE. Unfortunately for Mardier, this was the beginning of the end of its dominance of the Great Triangle region. After raising too many taxes to fight the Corlanders, many regions revolted. This created the nations of Namere, Carno, Garvey, Baldondia, and most importantly, Eslandola.

470AE - 473AE The Eslandolan / Garvey War - Eslandola decided to take over Garvey, Garvey fought them back for three years until a status quo antebellum was achieved via the Treaty of Notti.

459AE - 463AE The Midlands War - Oleon’s biggest success was the union of its own monarchy with that of the nation of Guelph. In 459 AE, after a small civil war, Guelph was conquered and Oleon became two kingdoms within the same Empire. New Oleon sits further to the south in a region called the Midlands.

541AE - 590AE The Forty-Nine Years War - Started over a personal insult to the King of Corrington, the Corish invasion fleet took over Belondia, a traditional ally of both Eslandola and Oleon. Eslandola stayed neutral during the war, but supported Belondia rebels. Oleon and its island allies, Peppin, Myrph, and the Isle of Tam attacked Corrington. However, King Arlin I had planned for this and had a large force of Northern Corlanders on the border with Oleon. For most of the war almost every battle was fought within Oleon, destroying much of the countryside in the Northern most parts of the country. Without Eslandola to worry about, the Corish invasion fleet left Belondia under a skeleton garrison and sacked Peppin (which had technically been a province of Corrington, and was in rebellion) and Myrph by 557AE. In 589 the Isle of Tam fell to Corrington. The next year Oleon and Corrington signed “Arlin’s Pact” which stated that Oleon and Corrington would never fight again as long as Arlin lived. Arlin was assassinated in 600AE.

607AE - 608AE The Juniper War - A war between Oleon and Corrington over the Great Juniper groves that lay on the border of the two nations. Somewhat trifle, the causes of this war are more deeply rooted than trees. After the defeat of Oleon in the 49 years war, the need for revenge added fuel to the fire here. Oleon was swift and decisive, and an unprepared Corrington, whose Southern Fleet was in the Sea of Storms, was forced to negotiate a peace. Losing the 100 square miles Juniper Provinces, the very birthplace of Queen Annetta, was a major thorn in the side of Corrington, and has sustained an unpleasant atmosphere between the two countries ever since.

Eslando - Mardierian War of 616-617- After Mardierian attacks on Eslandian shipping with no explanation nor regret from Mardier, Eslandola would stand it no longer. Thus it declared war upon Mardier, a war that for a long time was know as the "Phoney War", as neither participant engaged in anything but small border skirmishes in Halos. Eslandola then seized upon initiative with Operation KMA, in which it invaded Isla de Medio and settled upon Mardierian lands. This lead to the discovery of substantial Mardierian presence on the island, and hostilities escalated to full colonial war, with Garvey entering on the Eslandian side. During the war, Mardier finally lost Terra Versa to separatists, had most of its strategically important fishing fleet sunk, and lost all control over Isla de Medio to Eslandola. To soothe the mind of the King of Mardier, expeditions did bring home large quantities of gold, and Mardier may once more rise to power. For now, however, it has seen its colonial posessions reduced, and with them, its relevance in Nova Terra.

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Builds in the old world can now be licensed. (If they otherwise meet the requirements for licensing) They will earn 20 % less revenue, as the old world is less risky, and will not affect trade value or town banks. When licensing, simply state the country where it is located. (No city)

Just wanted to check whether this applies to Old World builds built in Era I (can they now be licenced?), or just to future ones? Either way is fine with me, just wanted to make sure!

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I have one question: Is this "game" on it's own planet, or is it just a continent on Earth and they are secluded from the rest of the world and they use their own "Time scale"? I'm confused.

This is an alternate minifigure world that has similarities to the human world, but is not the same at all. There are possibilities and rumors that it is related to the ancient lands of Historica, but there hasn't been confirmation of that. Basically everything is made up but a lot has basis on world history.

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This is an alternate minifigure world that has similarities to the human world, but is not the same at all. There are possibilities and rumors that it is related to the ancient lands of Historica, but there hasn't been confirmation of that. Basically everything is made up but a lot has basis on world history.

And to elaborate a bit on what Silentwolf said, the inspiration and/or time period of BoBs is the age of sail, including everything from early days of exploration in Carracks and Caravels to the warships of the early napoleonic Era. Similarly, buildings, troops and technology spans this time period.

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And to elaborate a bit on what Silentwolf said, the inspiration and/or time period of BoBs is the age of sail, including everything from early days of exploration in Carracks and Caravels to the warships of the early napoleonic Era. Similarly, buildings, troops and technology spans this time period.

I would join but, I am not on a site that hosts pictures, and even if I was they might not be up to standards.

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I would join but, I am not on a site that hosts pictures, and even if I was they might not be up to standards.

Well, the nice thing about BoBs is that you will develop at your own speed :) when most of us started, we all didn't reach the quality of what we have now :) we will give you a lot of feedback through your building process so you can develop yourself :)